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We share knowledge, ideas, and news about data platform management and the next SQLBits.

How to Fully Incorporate Our Theme Into Your Session at SQLBits

18 September 2023

SQLBits, the largest data platform conference, is gearing up to take off with an exhilarating theme this year: aviation. With the sky as the limit, this theme offers a unique opportunity to infuse creativity and excitement into your sessions! Whether you’re a seasoned speaker or a first-timer, incorporating the aviation theme can elevate your presentation […]

SQLBits 2024 Unveiled

14 September 2023

Details of SQLBits 2024 have been announced today (Thursday 14th September 2023). The 21st running of the event, SQLBits 2024 will be held from the 19th – 23rd March at Farnborough International Exhibition & Conference Centre, featuring a very fitting Aviation theme. Tickets will be available in three waves, with the first wave of tickets […]

How to Convince Your Boss to Let You Attend a Conference

13 September 2023

Attending conferences can be incredibly valuable for professional growth and staying updated with the latest industry trends. However, convincing your boss to invest in your attendance might require some strategic planning and a well-structured proposal. In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the steps to successfully convince your boss to let you attend a […]

Steph Martin Joins SQLBits Committee for 2024

01 September 2023

We’re delighted to welcome longstanding helper Steph Martin to the SQLBits Committee for 2024, joining founders Simon Sabin and Darren Green and board members Annette and Jonathan Allen, Alex Whittles and Rob and Traci Sewell. “Mentally exhausting but without fail, when you reach the end of it, I don’t want to have to wait a […]

Why All The Flight Puns?

24 August 2023

You’ll have noticed the plethora of puns, characters and graphics alluding to flight around the site, and especially if you’re new to SQLBits, you’re probably wondering what is going on.

5 Tips for Making the Most of Your First Data Conference

04 August 2023

Attending your first (or any!) data conference can be exciting and overwhelming at the same time. With so many sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities, it can be challenging to know where to start. But don’t worry, SQLBits has got you covered! Here are 5 tips for making the most of your first data conference… Plan […]

Why Fancy Dress is Beneficial for Networking

24 July 2023

At the SQLBits famous Friday night party we fully encourage and promote wearing a costume! (Although 100% not mandatory). When it comes to networking events, the idea of dressing up in a fancy costume might seem counterintuitive. However, there are actually many benefits to wearing fancy dress at networking events. Here are a few reasons […]

Unleashing Potential: Networking at Conferences

17 July 2023

In today’s fast-paced world of technology and data, professionals constantly seek ways to advance their careers and seize new opportunities. While acquiring technical skills is crucial, establishing meaningful connections and fostering a strong professional network can be equally important. Enter SQLBits, the world’s largest data platform conference, which offers a unique platform for networking and […]

(Rie)-Discover the Power of User Groups

10 July 2023

From making the day-to-day responsibilities of a role in data management a little bit easier through to building a network of peers to call on for guidance and career progression, being part of tech user groups offers a whole lot of bang for its buck.   We chatted to Microsoft’s Rie Merritt, responsible for the […]

Why do we choose to share pronouns at SQLBits?

04 July 2023

Have you ever been asked to share your pronouns at an event? It’s an increasingly common way for event organisers to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for those who may not identify with traditional gender pronouns. What are pronouns? A pronoun has two meanings. Straight from the dictionary it’s a word that can function […]

So, you want to be a speaker? How to get started… (SQLBits should be something to aim for!)

30 June 2023

Public speaking can be a daunting task, but it’s also an incredibly valuable skill to develop. Whether you’re speaking at a work meeting, a community event, or a conference (like SQLBits!), being able to communicate your message effectively can help you stand out and make an impact. Here are some tips for how to begin […]

How to take notes, and remember them.

17 May 2023

Have you ever reflected on your notes and completely forgotten whatever freehand scribble you wrote down in the spur of the moment means now? Taking notes can be a lot harder than it seems. Those who do take notes, most likely aren’t writing down the important stuff. SO, how can you make the most out […]

What Should I Do After SQLBits?

27 April 2023

Nothing quite matches the joy of being at SQLBits, but there are a few things you might like to try to fill that hole! User groups Join a user group. Are you missing learning on the go and getting deep dive content from other community-goers? It’s time to join your local user group and get […]

Why DE&I?

19 April 2023

Here at SQLBits we can be a tad cliched at the moment – we don’t like to blow our own trumpet about all the good things that we do – we prefer to let other people do it for us… We aren’t 100% transparent about all of our DE&I initiatives because we are patting ourselves […]

What to do after Couch2SQLBits; how to keep running!

14 April 2023

If you didn’t know, Couch2SQLBits was a programme that helps you run a 5k in less than 10 weeks! And we did the final 5k (3 mile) run at SQLBits in-person! For many of our runners, it was their first taste of running some distance, but once Couch2SQLBits ended it raiises the question; what do […]

DKMS was at SQLBits!

03 April 2023

DKMS is a charity dedicated to helping patients with blood cancer or a blood disorder. We manage a register of lifesavers-in-waiting, people willing to donate their blood stem cells to a stranger. Our mission is to find a matching blood stem cell donor for every patient who needs one and we need your help to […]

Let’s learn about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion!

30 March 2023

Let’s begin with the basics – What is DEI? Firstly, DEI stands for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Which may come as a bit of a surprise that it doesn’t stand for Equality, and here’s why… Equity Equity is “the fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all people, while at the same time striving to […]

They’re not just sponsors…

27 March 2023

If you didn’t know, SQLBits is run by volunteers who do the work to build up this amazing data platform event from the ground, year on end. Without our sponsors we wouldn’t be made possible – you are the glue helping to keep the Bits legacy going! So, this one’s for the sponsors! Thank you […]

Why I joined the DE&I committee

21 March 2023

We asked a valued member of our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion team, Gavita Regunath, to share with us why she decided to join the SQLBits team and also what she believes will be an important goal and target for SQLBits with the 2024 conference planning forthcoming! Take it away, Gavi! ‘I joined the DE&I (Diversity, […]

Food, glorious food!

11 March 2023

Other than the all-important content of the sessions, the quality of the menus is what we get the second-most amount of feedback on and so we take crafting delicious, locally sourced menus for hungry delegates very seriously every year at SQLBits. We’ve already told you all about about the provenance of the food served at […]

When ‘Feedback’ gets literal

09 March 2023

We take feedback super seriously at SQLBits. Not only is it essential for us to know how you think and feel about what we’re doing with the event, from the topics of the sessions to the theme of the party, we also want to give you something back for sharing that with us. This year, […]

Recovering after the SQLBits Run is important!

06 March 2023

Don’t overlook the recovery! Today’s blog is all about recovery, and has be written (or put together at least!) By Mikey Robson from Advancing Analytics! Take it away Mikey! Recovery post-run is often overlooked by new runners, so I decided to overlook the topic myself and get ChatGTP to write the blog for me! To […]
Range of food; fish, pizza, coffee, apple, cupcake, coffee, salt and pepper.

Fresh, tasty and sustainable food – that’s what we love!

22 February 2023

We are all about supporting local businesses, promoting sustainability and making sure all our attendees get the true Welsh experience while at SQLBits 2023 (and having some tasty food, of course). So, we’re going to share some of the local partners that will be lending a helping hand to providing the food-portion of SQLBits! We […]

It’s not too late to be a Couch-to-SQLBits hero!

15 February 2023

Running ace Michael Robson of Advancing Analytics, our partners for all things wellness at SQLBits this year, fills us in on how you can still get involved. So, you may have noticed we launched the SQLBits Couch to 5k program last week, we’re really excited about this and hope many of you use this opportunity […]
Two poeple playing giant chess in the SQLBits community corner

Jonathan and Craig dive into the SQLBits Community Corner!

03 January 2023

This week we held a Twitter Q&A with Jonathan and Craig all about the Community Corner, now you may have read that and thought… What is the Community Corner at SQLBits? Let us tell you! What is the SQLBits Community Corner (CC)? Community Corner is a place in the exhibition arena at SQLBits that serves […]
Speaker presenting to a room full of attendees

Sessions and Speakers by Numbers (SQLBits 2023!)

21 December 2022

The SQLBits agenda is available for you to view in all its glory, right here! Rob Sewell has gladly provided us with some interesting numbers about the sessions and the speakers and provided some insight and information into the behind-the-scenes effort that is required to provide a top-quality, five-day data conference! So Close to the […]

Dungeons and Dragons (and SQLBits!) Can Benefit Your Business!

07 October 2022

SQLBits isn’t the only thing your businesses can benefit from, Dungeons and Dragons is an awesome team-building tool. Dungeons and Dragons could be just the team-building tool employers need as they face the serious challenge of maintaining employee engagement and well-being in the new world of remote working, as by working from home you can […]

Leaders Helping Employees with Their Mental Health

20 September 2022

We have another guest blogger this week, Tracy Boggiano, who was supposed to take the stage at SQLBits to talk regarding mental health, so we thought we’d give Tracy the chance to take to the virtual stage to discuss the very important conversation of mental health, but in the form of a blog post! Take […]

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Our Accelerated Approach

22 August 2022

An important message from our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Team! At SQLBits we take Diversity, Equity and Inclusion very seriously.  We started working on this over 18 months ago and we hope you noticed some of the initiatives we put in place at SQLBits 2022.  Since this topic is so important, we have worked on […]

Don’t be trashy, it’s time to reduce, reuse and recycle!

10 August 2022

At SQLBits we have had a huge push on being more sustainable, this week we wanted to talk about the benefits of reusing and recycling your SQLBits fancy dress outfits and therefore reducing waste! Let’s learn how to reuse fancy dress costumes… But firstly… What do we mean by reuse/recycle? Reuse means taking products that […]
Detective searching for what they look for in a conference!

What I Look for in a Conference – Part 2

02 August 2022

Okay, so in Part 1 Jes Schultz talked all about what she looks for in a conference from the perspective of an attendee. She discusses the importance of diversity, cost, and much more useful information. Jes takes the stage to discuss what she believes conferences should offer, from the perspective of a speaker. The microphone […]
Detective searching for what they look for in a conference!

What I Look for in a Conference – Part 1

26 July 2022

We welcomed a wonderful guest blogger to the Bits Blog this week, Jes Schultz, to write about what she looks for in a conference (and most likely what you’ll look for too!) Take it away, Jes! I love conferences. Yes, I’m an extrovert. But I believe people of all backgrounds benefit from structured learning and […]

SQLBits Buddies – a volunteer success story!

01 July 2022

At this point, you are most likely aware of our newest introduction at SQLBits – The Bits Buddies! If you are unfamiliar, they are a group of the best, friendliest people around who are there to make you feel like you belong, whether it’s your first time at the event or third, there will always […]
two volunteers wearing orange in front of a lovely view

Views From the Volunteers!

17 June 2022

Volunteers are the bones of SQLBits and keep us going strong! We just wanted to say an extra special thank you to you all! You all inspire us at Bits every day with your kindness and dedication to giving us that extra helping hand. All we can say is WOW –  you all smashed it […]
Two people driving in a car

Location, Location, Location!

20 May 2022

If this year’s SQLBits was your first-ever time attending, we wanted to let you know that SQLBits isn’t just a tea and crumpets with the Queen and a London-centric event – We travel all over the UK, to places such as Manchester, Liverpool, and Telford! We are a UK-based conference but we make sure to […]

Prize Winners at SQLBits!

07 April 2022

If you didn’t know we love to reward the community and those who join us at SQLBits, with awards and gifts to make a great end to the week of training! We make sure you are given the chance (and lots of chances) to win prizes from ourselves and our amazing sponsors. These aren’t just […]

We love all our sponsors! – SQLBits 2022 edition!

05 April 2022

If you didn’t know, SQLBits is run by volunteers who do the work to build up this amazing data platform event from the ground, every year! And this wouldn’t be made possible without our awesome sponsors – you are the glue to keeping the Bits legacy going! So this one’s for the sponsors! – Thank […]
Library where you can read all the SQLBits testimonies!

SQLBits Testimonies – just read all about it!

30 March 2022

Testimonies from SQLBits A huge thank you to all of our volunteers, speakers and attendees for attending SQLBits at the start of March, it was a great pleasure to host the arcade this year! We thought we would share some of our testimonies from those who visited us at the London ExCeL or joined us […]
A parent and child at childcare (Creche) playing in a rocket with building blocks

Why we chose to have a creche at SQLBits

25 March 2022

If you didn’t know, this year we had a creche at SQLBits – and it was a great success. You might be thinking, why did we need to have childcare at Bits? Let me tell you. We want to accommodate the parents. The single parents. The parents who can’t afford a babysitter for a week […]
Two people gardening planting trees and flowers in a garden for sustainability

Sustainability at SQLBits

12 March 2022

There are loads of things happening at SQLBits that you might be unaware of which ensures you are doing your part to help the planet stay happy and healthy. To start our mission of saving the planet one bamboo plate at a time, we enforced that the London ExCeL brought a composting policy into the […]
Man and woman playing ping pong in the community corner at SQLBits

Join Us In The Community Zone…

28 February 2022

SQLBits always has a “Community Corner” but it’s usually just that. It’s a table with people who can talk to you about the Data Platform Community. This year we have expanded the space and put it in a great position so that everyone can jump in and get involved.  We are using it for meet and […]
A group of peopel dancing on a rainbow dance floor with a disco ball at the SQLBits party

Get Those Dancing Shoes On and PARTY!

25 February 2022

We want to inspire you and help put you in contact with people who can share their knowledge and provide you with great opportunities, except at SQLBits we don’t stop there… We want you not only to take away some new contacts but a great bunch of friends and to be part of our community. […]

Childcare at SQLBits

24 February 2022

Bringing children to an event is not an easy decision, but we want to change that! When it comes to childcare at SQLBits, we’ve got you covered. If you’re a single parent, you can’t find a babysitter, or perhaps you just want your child to come along to SQLBits with you, we have a dedicated […]

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

19 February 2022

We welcome Jess Pomfret (@jpomfret) as a guest writer to give some insight into the efforts SQLBits are taking to improve Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  SQLBits is one of the biggest volunteer-run data platform conferences in the world, it’s been running for 15 years! The aim is not just to provide top quality training, ample […]

We Are The SQLBits Buddies!

18 February 2022

Perhaps you’d like a group of people to go for dinner with, where you can all share your experiences at different community events? Maybe, you’d just like a chat during the day? You can come along and meet us at the Community Zone! Join a bunch of like-minded people at SQLBits, and leave with a […]

I Like ‘Big Data’ and I Cannot Lie: Our Favourite SQL Jokes, Puns and Memes

02 February 2022

We asked for your best data jokes and wow, did you deliver! Here are just a few of our top picks in anticipation of SQLBits 2022. (Because And what would this blog be if I didn’t include a selection of dad jokes? But where do I keep all my dad jokes? In a dadabase! – […]

Explaining the SQLBits Annual Theme & Party: Why We’re So Into Dressing Up

02 February 2022

When people first learn about SQLBits, it’s often right after photos from a conference are posted. And we always get curious questions about why exactly we add themes to what is, ostensibly, a data conference focusing on emerging technology trends.   Where to start? Yes, SQLBits does hold a flamboyant party at every conference. From a […]

SQLBits 2022 Fancy Dress Inspiration

02 February 2022

Are you struggling to pick a fancy dress out fit for the SQLBits 2022 costume party? Look no further—we have some great ideas!  Two-person Icon Costume: Do you like Mario and Luigi? It’s perfect for you and a friend. As instantly recognisable icons you can smash through boxes, and shout Yipee! Yahoooo! at people as […]

SQLBits: The Attendee Survival Pack

02 February 2022

We know a lot of people can get uneasy when it comes to attending conferences. Your mind gets flooded with questions: How do I get connect with speakers? What should I wear? What if I don’t know anyone? There are so many questions about what could go wrong…but what about, what will go right?   We’re […]

Speaking at SQLBits? Here’s What to Expect

02 February 2022

Speaking at a conference can be quite daunting, and yet it feels like as your career grows, more and more people start throwing microphones at you. That’s why at SQLBits, we’re committed to taking some of the pressure off.   SQLBits Says ‘Relax’  For example: each speaker can take advantage of ‘recharge pods.’ Custom-built, fully equipped, […]

Delegate Toolkit: What You Need to Know About Attending SQLBits 

02 February 2022

Let’s not beat around the bush, SQLBits is here so everyone can learn about data and have fun simultaneously. You get the data training you want, and get to make friends along the way by having a laugh. No stiff, no starch, just excitement.  That makes our vision for SQLBits a fairly huge one, but […]

Coronavirus / COVID19

01 February 2022

Safety at SQLBits Your health, safety and comfort has been, and continues to be, our number one priority.?To ensure everyone feels safe and secure at SQLBits 2022 the following guidelines will be in place. We are constantly reviewing these alongside the ExCeL based on current government advice and regulations. – What is required to attend […]

Why is it worth attending SQlBits?

19 January 2022

SQLBits has been around for a while—15 years, in fact—and in that time we’ve become one of the biggest volunteer-run data platform conferences in the world. But bigger doesn’t mean better for all things; it’s easy to get away from one’s original mission and focus on the flashy aspects of larger conferences without delivering actual […]